


of rings and things

by SaadieStuff



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Back Together, M/M, Post Season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:41:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24899365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaadieStuff/pseuds/SaadieStuff
Summary: Michael thinks he's out of time. But it turns out their new story is just beginning.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes, refers to past Alex/Forrest
Comments: 23
Kudos: 181





	of rings and things

“I know why you asked to meet me here,” Michael says dejectedly as he settles into the booth across from Alex.

“You do?” Alex questions, an eyebrow rising in doubt.

“Yes. And I know you’re doing it as a courtesy, and I don't have any right to--”

“I don’t think you kn--”

“Fuck,” Michael says to himself, but it still cuts Alex off. Michael rubs his hands over his face and grunts. Then he looks at Alex, and blurts out his next words. “Alex, you can’t marry Forrest.”

“Michael--”

“I mean you can, obviously, but I don’t want you to. I’m _asking_ you not to. I’m sorry I’m taking so long, I just-- I wanted us to be _ready_ so we’d have a real shot. And I thought I had more time. You’ve only been dating a few months and I didn’t think it was that serious--”

“Guerin--” Alex says louder.

“Not that I’m judging! If he makes you happy-- I just--”

Alex interrupts this time, though he is loath to stop Michael’s speech when for once he’s actually communicating. But Alex can’t let him continue. “I’m _not_ marrying Forrest. What made you think I was?”

Michael sputters, “Isobel saw you two ring shopping!”

“Ooh,” Alex says softly, realization dawning, but Michael has already launched into further explanation. 

“The store hired her to help with their display and social media.”

“They liked what she did for the Crashdown,” Alex correctly speculates.

“When she saw you come in with Forrest she hid behind one of the displays. She said she couldn’t really hear you from where she was.” (It then occurs to Michael that _may_ have been a lie to get him to go spill his guts to Alex, as he is now doing.) Michael sucks in a much needed breath. “But she said you were over by the rings, and you left with ring boxes, and--”

“Hah,” Alex chuckles, “So that’s why I smelled rain.” But he turns serious. “I, uh, broke up with Forrest because of it.”

“What?” Michael says, horrified that Isobel’s spying would have caused the breakup, and sad for Alex, even though he also feels a huge sense of relief, and a surge of hope, the strongest yet. 

“Uh huh. Should tell me something that, standing next to a display of wedding rings with my boyfriend, I get a smell-o-vision of _you_.”

Michael sighs. “But you didn’t, really. It was Isobel.” He scrunches up his nose. “I didn’t know you could smell her.”

Alex shrugs. “I think once you know what it is… after that I could smell Isobel and Max too.”

Michael makes a mildly disturbed, pouty face.

Alex snorts, “Don’t worry, your smell is still very unique to-- uh, to me…” He clears his throat. “And I probably would have realized it wasn’t actually you if I hadn’t also been _thinking_ of you anyways…”

“...While looking at a case of wedding rings,” Michael quietly finishes for him.

“Even though Forrest was always game to just-- and he knew all along that I-- well,” Alex stops short and huffs out a breath. “Sorry, this is a lot. We’re practically talking about--”

“Getting married.”

“Getting married. Yeah,” Alex says, half synced with Michael. 

Michael inhales sharply. It _is_ a lot. 

“Uh, anyways, the reason I wanted to meet...” Alex continues, rubbing the back of his neck briefly, “I was at the store because I was picking up a ring of Tripp’s I got resized to fit me.” He holds up his right hand; the ring sits on his fourth finger. “It seems Tripp wore it on his thumb, so it was too big.”

“You find it on his corpse?” Michael asks, eyes wide. 

“Greg noticed it, yeah. He told me I should have it. I finally got around to dropping it off at the jewelry place a few weeks ago, and yesterday I had to go pick it up. Forrest really likes rings, so he tagged along. I hadn’t considered how awkward it would end up being as a couple activity for us.”

Michael smiles sympathetically.

“So the ring…” Alex wiggles it off his finger and holds it up above the middle of the table, “The jeweler who worked on it said it contains a weird material she’s never seen before.” 

Alex moves the ring towards Michael, who resists the urge to put his finger through it as Alex holds it out. Instead, Michael takes it in his fingers, turning it over, rolling the smooth object in his palm. But eventually, he slips it on. 

“Alien tech,” Michael says, though he'd known the answer before he’d even touched it. 

“Yeah,” Alex confirms, “I mean, it must be. That’s why it feels…”

“Like home.”

Alex gulps and nods. “You can keep it. If-- if you want it. The tech-- it should be with you.”

“Nah,” Michael says, trying to sound casual, but the longing in his voice betrays him, “I think I’d prefer it be on _you…_ with me.”

Alex grins shyly, looking down, then back up, his smile gaining ground. “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Michael says hopefully, beaming back.

“Yeah.”

Michael smirks as he takes off the well-fitting ring and hands it back to Alex -- all the while hardly believing that he now dares let such bold words escape his lips, but it feels right. “Handy to know we have the same ring size, huh? You know, future reference...”

“Handy,” Alex says brightly, matching Michael’s confidence. 

The future is bright indeed. 


End file.
